Central African Republic Travel Guide - Getting Around

Scheduled flights sometimes operate to Berbérati. However, most domestic flying is limited to chartered planes. Contact Minair (tel: 611 963 or 612 236) or BADICA (tel: 613 726/7) for details.

Ferries sail from Bangui to several towns further up the Ubangi.

Traffic drives on the right. Good roads connect the few main towns (although few are paved), but the majority are often impassable during the rainy season and travellers should expect delays. Most roads require a 4-wheel-drive to render them passable. Outside the urban areas, motor vehicles are rare and spare parts virtually impossible to find. Travellers must carry as large a petrol supply as possible, since deliveries to stations outside the towns are infrequent and petrol shortages are common.

Bus: Local services run between towns; they are a cheap but sometimes gruelling way to travel. It is also possible to pay for a lift on the numerous goods trucks which drive between the main towns.

Car hire: Self-drive or chauffeur-driven cars are available.

Documentation: International Driving Permit required.

Note: Identification (eg residence permit or certified copy of passport) must be carried at all times. Failure to do so can result in detention by police. Incidents of theft and robbery occur regularly, and armed gangs are known to operate in the outlying areas of Bangui.

Limited bus services run in Bangui on a two-zone tariff. Taxis are only available in the urban areas; they do not have meters and fares must be negotiated.